Between Obvious and Oblivious is a Lie (2013)
by SEZCPL
Summary: [My first story from four years ago! - so pre-VWD!] Derek and Casey are waiting for the birth of a baby. It's time to face facts.


Title: **Between Obvious and Oblivious is a lie**  
Category: TV Shows » Life With Derek  
Author: SEZCPL  
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T  
Genre: Romance/Humor  
Published: 07-01-09, Updated: 07-01-09  
Chapters: 6, Words: 5,034

**Chapter 1: The End**

He emerged from his room and wandered into the living room in the small two bedroom apartment. Casey was sitting on the couch. It was dark except for the flashes of colour from the television as she attempted to watch a movie.

Derek wasn't exactly sure she _was_ watching the movie - Oh she was there looking at the screen - but her eyes and her mind were elsewhere.

What sort of relationship did they even have now? Most of the time it was identical to the spat-filled angst they had enjoyed during high-school. But since they had come to college and started to share a flat (down to cost-saving on George's part), a slight, barely noticeable truce had broken out. Or maybe they had just matured.

He'd stopped pranking her…well everyday at least. And she had stopped with the nagging…well a bit.

Face it. They had a bit of a grudging friendship thing going on; which would all be fine sibling _fun_ if they were completely _oblivious_.

But of course the difference between obvious and oblivious is a "li(e)".

They'd never talked about how they feel. But they both knew and they both knew the other knew. It was like some weird mythical story where people can read minds.

When they first met there had been a momentary thought flicker through Derek's mind which said _god Casey you are hot…but your mom's marrying my dad so I can't have you_. And a similar thought which passed through Casey's which said _I feel the same…now hate me, jerk!_

And there had even been another thought through Derek's mind as he tried to talk Nora and George out of getting married. _So if Nora dumps dad, how long should I wait before I ask for her daughter's phone number? _

But Nora and George had gone ahead with the wedding, and Derek and Casey had proceeded with the hate-hate relationship which dominated their angst-ridden school years and the blessed arguments; arguments which were fore-play and consummation rolled into one unbelievable mess. As a hormonal male, physically fighting with an attract young female, he'd lost count of the number of times he had nearly grabbed her in the middle of a fight or the times when he had had to flick off their conversation with a throw away line so that he could disappear into the bathroom with a magazine and the liquid soap.

She killed him. Regularly.

It wasn't just the unexpressed lust any more either. He noticed her intelligence, her stubbornness and so many other perfect qualities about her, and before long, she had become the centre of his private world. (tied for first-place right alongside Marti – his real sister). And he can do absolutely nothing about it.

Sam once asked why Derek wasn't interested in Casey. _Oh god, if only he knew!_ Derek had replied that, legal or not, he was not going to be the member of his family who wound up on Ricki Lake talking about his uncle's wife who was really his brother. He just couldn't do that to Marti.

So his dad may very well be the happiest Derek has ever known him since George married Nora. But, deep, deep down, Derek will NEVER forgive him.

"Hey Spacecase!" He flopped down beside his step-sister/flatmate/ultimate no-no. "Wassup?"

She didn't look at him. Bad sign.

"I've been lazy the last couple of days – no pranking - so I am positive _this_ is nothing to do with me." He waved a hand at her mood and thought he saw a tiny smile cross her lips. He loved it when that happened. The little tiny signs that made him remember that they were _both_ playing a game they really didn't want.

Casey's voice brought him back to reality.

"George phoned. Mom's in labour."

_Oh shit!_

He was taken back to the moment just under nine months ago when their parents had announced the impending arrival. His only thought, apart from _ew!_ at the idea of his dad still having a sex life, was as always Casey. There had even been the briefest flash of a glance to see how she had taken the news of the baby – and he had to say, as acting went…Casey was good; the right level of older daughter gushing and cooing and then the flight into her mother and his father's arms for a group hug. Nice.

But he'd also been there for the ice cream fest later that night. Just the two of them and a tub of rocky road (ironic) and the closest they had _ever_ come to talking.

"_So…a baby." He started._

"_Yeah." And her eyes had met his and then closed. Then she had opened her eyes and pulled herself together._

"_I'm so happy for them."_

"_Hey yeah. Me too. Just think…the Venturi looks, charm and intelligence and the McDonald…attention to detail."_

"_DER-EK!"_

_Then he had smiled, properly. "The perfect combination of our genes."_

_And she had looked at him. Really looked. For the second time that evening._

"_No. Not quite." She had said simply._

_God that had pulled at him. He knew what she meant. What she was implying. And he had reached out with his hand to place it on hers and she had whipped hers away._

"_Derek. Don't touch me please." Soft, whispered, regretful._

"_It's just a baby, Case."_

"_No. It's blood." And then she was gone back to her room. _

_Blood. _

_The thing that had never been between them until now. A blood sibling._

Derek pulled himself back to reality. For the last eight-ish months, they had managed to avoid any discussion of this. They had behaved as though the world was normal. School, graduation, preparations for college, leaving for college. But it was here now.

Soon the blood would be there. In the next few hours.

So he dealt with it the D-way. He reached for the remote and flung an arm around her.

"Okay. I'm up for a Star Wars movie-athon. Get the popcorn."

She looked at him as though he was crazy. He grinned.

"If you think you are going to spend all night freaking over this on your own, you have another think coming."

"Derek." Wistful again.

"Hey. Just a brother and sister hanging out while their mother is in labour." He looked up at her. "I promise, honey."

Honey? Okay. So maybe he was allowed to call her "honey" tonight. Tonight of all nights.

They were on the sixth movie now, having fast-forwarded through most of the first three. The last three were the best…obviously. Casey had tolerated his arm around her shoulder because he'd kept referring to her as his sister. She'd even slunk down on the sofa and rested her head against his chest and he, in his turn, had allowed his arms to pull her to him.

He tried to remember the last time he had held a girl close to him like this on a date…and failed. Affection? That was a Casey thing. Only ever Casey and when he gave that affection, he had to pretend that it physically pained him to touch her.

If the girl in his arms had been anyone else, they would have been in his bedroom right now, climbing the walls together. But it was Casey. The one he wanted most…and would never be able to have.

He wondered if she was still freaking over the baby thing.

Then Princess Leia had to go and freaking say it.

Han Solo has just announced he won't stand in the way of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia if they want to "get it on" (come on this is Derek we're talking about!) and she says…"But don't you see? He's my brother!"

Derek felt Casey tense in his arms and sighed, closing his arms. Okay. So avoiding "Clueless" – that was an obvious decision. How the hell was he supposed to remember that brother-sister misunderstanding thing in Return of the Jedi?

"It's a movie." He murmured into her hair. "Just a freaking fantasy movie."

Casey snorted. "And we're a freaking horror story."

Hell! When had they ever been _this_ honest?

"No we're not. Nothing happens in our little plot." He tried to keep the bitterness from his voice, but he could tell from the sudden wetness in her eyes that he'd failed.

"Case. Please. We both know this is difficult. Let's not fight tonight. Please. This is our last few hours of…" he let his voice drain away.

She sighed and settled back into his arms, but turned towards him this time, her lips almost touching his neck.

And she let herself dream that this was a date and that he was…the one.

And he held her close and rested his lips in her hair and closed his eyes against the film and the world.

For twenty three minutes, everything was perfect. They lay in that one position on the couch – the only sign of movement being the rise and fall of their chests. And they both forgot.

Then the phone rang.

Casey sat up and snatched the phone from the table, and barked into it. Derek slid his fingers into hers and laced their hands together.

"Hi George." It could only have been him. It was 4am after all.

"That's great news! Yeah. You go back. Give them our love."

She hung up.

"It's a boy. Robert (Robbie). 8lbs. Mom and baby doing fine." And then she looked sadly at their hands joined together. Casey kissed his hand, dropped it and ran into her bedroom.

**Chapter 2: The Baby**

Derek wasn't exactly sure that he was ready to see Casey with a newborn baby. She looked too good at it. He had a sick feeling in his stomach which only got worse later that night when he had the dream about Casey giving birth to Ralph's baby.

Okay. That should have been amusing. But this was Casey we were talking about, and somewhere out there was probably another Ralph that may very well appeal to Casey's taste. Derek hated himself for thinking it, but the only child he wanted Casey to carry was his own.

Of course, that would never happen, and it was all because of little Robbie; the bundle of joy that his step-sister was actually holding.

"Ew yuck. He barfed!" Marti complained.

"That'll be the Derek in him." Casey replied.

And it was there. Even he could see it. The shape of the eyes, and the turn of the mouth. It was pure Venturi-McDonald. He amused himself by riling Casey up with the line.

"Oh god! Tears. That'll be the Casey in him."

Nora and George had arranged for a big family portrait to be done, taking advantage of all the children being home for once. So they had all trudged off to the photographer's studio; the younger girls fussing over the baby and Derek muttering "let's get this tragedy over with."

Casey had put her hand on the small of his back when he said that. And when he looked at her in surprise, she had given him a weak smile.

He found himself leaning over her and whispering in her ear.

"You're still my favourite sibling."

"After Marti." She had smiled.

"Oh yeah. After Marti."

No more touches. Just another brief moment of honesty.

And the photo?

Casey's arm was still on the small of Derek's back and his arm was curved around her shoulder.

**Chapter 3: The Wedding**

Derek heard the squeal through three foot of reinforced concrete as Casey went downstairs to collect her post. It always amazed him that so much of her post ended up at his apartment. Officially, she wasn't really there. Unofficially, it was the place she bolted to every time a relationship faltered. He was finding lately that his spare room was occupied more often than not.

He'd stopped bringing girls back to his apartment. He just couldn't guarantee that they would be alone. She turned up at all sorts of hours of the day and night. It wasn't fair on the girls he hung with to fling them out on the streets at 3am. Because that's where the priorities lay. It was Casey every time.

"What the hell's all the fuss about?" He pretended to be irritated.

"Emily's getting married!"

Now that was news. Emily Davies, Casey's best friend and Derek's ex. Getting married.

"Who's the unlucky guy?"

"Shelden"

"Shlepper?!" Derek swiped the invitation out of his step-sister's hand.

"He proposed?! How'd that happen? – again!"

"Can it, Venturi. There's a letter. She's very happy."

"Why's the invitation addressed to Derek and Casey?"

"I guess she figured we wouldn't bring anyone else. Or maybe she decided she didn't trust you to bring anyone decent."

"She knocked your possible escorts out of the loop too, princess."

"That's okay. The girl has taste."

"Jeez, Klutzilla. I'm rubbing off on you."

So they went to the wedding together. And they argued the whole night and neither of them missed taking their "partners".

Emily sighed as she climbed into bed beside her exhausted new husband.

"What's wrong, hun?" He asked, running a finger up her arm.

"I hoped…just a little. That it would be at my wedding."

"That what would be?" Sheldon was kissing the base of her neck.

"That Derek would finally kiss the hell out of Casey."

Sheldon chuckled against her jaw. "Nah. Those two will still be fighting it out with zimmer frames and bed pans."

Emily sighed again. "I guess you are right."

"You know I am. Now. Mrs Schlepper. Get your mind off your best friend and on to your husband before I am forced to take action."

Emily giggled and slipped under the covers.

**Chapter 4: The Engagement**

It's 2am and yet again, Casey is on Derek's doorstep.

"I've left Mark."

"Why?"

"He wanted to marry me."

"Again? That's the third time you've dumped someone for wanting to spend their life with you Casey, you have to stop running away from your future."

"Yeah. Well, whatever Mark is – he isn't my future. That's over and done with."

"So I guess you want the spare room then?" Derek bends down to pick up her suitcases.

"Great. Thanks bro." He rolls his eyes and walks into the apartment behind her.

She walks into the kitchen and opens the freezer. "You need more ice cream."

**Chapter 5: The Pillow Talk**

It's movie marathon night. Derek has just dump bimbo number X because Casey has just arrived after failure relationship codenamed "Wayne".

"Why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Sleep with all those random girls?"

"They aren't random girls, Case. I'm picky."

"In what way are you picky?"

"Well. They have to be commitment-phobic, or at least not clingy. Clean. Have their own apartment. Attractive. Use Birth-control and yah-dee-dah-di-dah."

"Ew! Derek. Too much info!"

"You asked."

"Are you good at it?"

"Good at what?"

"Sex. Are you good at it?"

"No complaints so far."

"What are you best at? Oral…the usual…something more exotic?"

"I am SO not having this conversation with you."

"Derek. This is me, remember. Your annoying Step-sister. The one you used to embarrass three times a day after meals."

"Yeah. Sure. Except it's not you I'm worried about embarrassing."

Significant pause.

"Why 'their own apartment'?"

"Well I'm assuming you don't want to hear my headboard pounding out the 1812 overture every night."

"Ew again."

The conversation turned for a while. Then later as the film – really poor as films go – drew to a close, Casey spoke again.

"Do you really have sex in time to the 1812 overture?"

"Casey!"

A moment's pause.

"You realise, that every time I try to have sex for the next month I'm going to have bloody cannon going off in my head." He muttered.

"Hey. You can't blame me for all the failings in your sex life, D." She smirked and disappeared off into her room.

_No Honey. Just the ones since I met you._ He thought to himself.

**Chapter 6: The First Date**

Casey liked her Mom's new house. It had fewer bedrooms, but for the rare occasions when all the siblings were home together, a little squeezing was nothing.

It had more garden space for Robbie, who was taking after Lizzie and turning into a soccer fiend, aged six.

But at the moment, Casey liked her new family home because it was full of family – or rather it would be tomorrow when Lizzie and Edwin arrived. They were all home to celebrate the tenth wedding anniversary of their parents – the adventure which started it all off.

Casey was currently sitting on the back porch watching Robbie playing with Marti and Derek. She could hardly believe that six years had passed since Robbie's birth. That night sitting waiting for the call was etched in her mind for so many reasons, the main one being honesty. She let her eyes flick up to Derek and felt the familiar catch in her stomach that he had always engendered in her. He turned and caught her gaze and for the briefest of seconds, their eyes smiled together.

This…family life…was what they had protected for the past ten years by ignoring their feelings; the right to stay in their joined family without tears.

He smirked, twisted and kicked the ball straight at her. Casey, used to his thought processes by now, already had an arm up to save herself and batted the ball harmlessly away, but not without a token _"Der-ek!"_

"He never changes, does he?" Nora appeared at Casey's elbow with a soft drink and handed it to her.

"The world would stop turning if he did mom."

Nora smiled and looked thoughtful. "Are you happy Casey?"

Casey glanced at her mom quickly. "Sure."

"Liar." Nora was watching the game, but she saw Casey freeze from the corner of her eye. She continued.

"Derek told me it's been you breaking off all those relationships over the years. Is that true?"

"I just came to my senses before the guys did, Mom."

"But turning down marriage proposals? I mean, not that I want you to make any mistakes, but…are you sure?"

"That was a while ago. I can't believe Derek told you."

"Under protest. He seems to know a lot about you."

"He's my sometimes flatmate. We see the good and the bad of each other."

Nora smiled. "I always thought you two would kill each other living together, but, you always end up back under the same roof. Do you argue like that at home?"

Casey grinned. "Worse! No parental control."

Nora chuckled. "Does he bring the girlfriends back?" She asked softly.

"Nah. I asked him about that. He said if I wanted to have an education I should rent a blue movie. You know Derek."

"And he knows you." Nora watched her eldest daughter watching her eldest stepson.

"Marry him, Casey."

Casey frowned. "Marry who?" She asked, taking a sip of her drink.

"Derek."

Casey choked. "What?!"

"I know what you have been doing all these years."

"We haven't been doing anything!"

"I know. Exactly. You both made a decision to hate each other a long time ago, and whilst I appreciate why you did it, you need to stop now."  
"Mom…"

"Casey, please. I know you. I know Derek. These past ten years have not been easy for either of you." She turned to look at her daughter. "It isn't illegal you know."

"That was never the point." Casey whispered, giving up.

"You were worried about the scandal."

"I guess. We've never actually _talked_ about it. It was an unspoken decision. A sort of _let's not even go there_."

"Except it got out of hand. It's about more than just attraction, isn't it?"

"I can't even tell you if you are right. We've never even kissed."

"Are you in love with him?"

"Mom!"

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Hence the screwed up relationships. You don't _want_ to be with anyone else, do you?"

"I move out to give Derek some space. I leave it as little a time as I think I can get away with and then turn up on his doorstep. So far he's always taken me in. One day he probably won't. I try not to think about that."

"Do yourself and the entire male population of New York a favour. Marry Derek. Before you end up leaving a stream of broken-hearted ex-boyfriends behind you."

"What if he doesn't want me?"

"Casey. You said it yourself. He always takes you back. Of course he wants you."

"Maybe he does it because I'm his sister."

Nora stood up laughing.

"Casey McDonald. Derek Venturi has NEVER seen you as his sister. And I for one am very grateful for that."

She turned to go.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Why now?"

Nora sniffed in amusement. "Lizzie's pregnant. It's Edwin's baby. They are getting married. I didn't see why you should continue punishing yourselves while they get away scott-free."

Casey looked astonished for a moment and then burst into maniacal laughter.

Derek was in bed watching TV. "His" new attic bedroom was nice. Nora had furnished it in a modern, unisex décor with plenty of storage, PC and a widescreen TV. The large bed was bigger than the bed from his childhood years and scooting down in it, he realised it was also significantly more comfortable.

"Thank you Nora! Your interior design skills have come to the fore again."

"Talking to yourself, Venturi. Now why doesn't that surprise me?" Casey was leaning against the bedroom doorpost.

"Ten years and you still don't knock."

"Now why would I knock on my own bedroom door?"

"Uh Uh. My bedroom. You can forget about evicting me from this room. I'm staying put."

"I'm not evicting you. Mom says I have to sleep in here because Lizzie won't be feeling too good when she gets here and needs a room to herself. Mom figures that since you and I live together anyway, you won't be too bashful around me."

"Oh Great. And there was me thinking this was all too good to be true – and what d'ya know. It is!" Actually, he was rather looking forward to sharing a room with her. Even in their own flat that had never happened.

"I come with peace offering."

"Oh?"

Casey pulled a small metal bucket out from behind her back.

"Champagne? Where the hell did you get that?"

"Mom said to help ourselves. Apparently, George overdid the alcohol order for Saturday's party. Want some? It's cold."

"Sure." He patted the bed beside him.

She opened the wine, poured two glasses, set the bucket on the bedside table and climbed into bed.

"What's the film?" Casey asked after they had toasted their parents.

"Political thriller. It's only just started. You want me to turn it off?"

"No. Let's watch it." And she snuggled into his arms, unexpectedly, leaving him slightly shocked, but not hugely reluctant.

"PDA rule, Casey."

"BS, Derek. No one's around to see you so stop worrying about your reputation."

He didn't put up too much of a fight. Holding Casey was not something he ever really got to do. He pulled her closer and rested his lips in her hair.

As the film progressed, so did Casey's hands. At first, she let them lie on his chest beside her head and then, in a particularly action-packed scene in the film she managed to move her hand under his t-shirt without him know how. The first Derek noticed was when the film calmed down again, and her fingers began to trace a pattern on his bare chest. She felt Derek tense at her touch. He brushed her hand out from under his shirt.

Casey put it back.

"Casey, don't."

She ignored him and let her fingers slide down his stomach. He tried to stop her again and she batted his hand away and resumed her stroking, moving her lips nearer his neck.

"Casey, what the hell are you doing?"

"Shut up and grab a hold of something please. I'm feeling neglected." Her lips were against his neck now. Little kisses.

Derek groaned.

"Case. I can't do this."

"Do you fancy me?" Little kisses behind his ear.

He sighed and then chuckled. "I have a pulse, honey. Of course I fancy you."

"Cool." She bent to kiss his neck again.

"Do you love me?" She murmured out of sight.

"Stupid bloody question, princess."

She looked up, her eyebrow raised questioningly.

"Yes."

"So stop fighting me and make love to me."

He watched her for a moment, sipping his champagne, thoughtfully while she kissed his collarbone.

"Do _you_ love _me_, Casey?"

"Now who's asking the stupid questions?"

"Casey…"

Her eyes flashed to meet his. "Yes. Yes okay. I love you. I have always loved you. I love every minute of that sick little act of ours, because it is something you do only with me. But right now, I want you to be more conventional. I want you to love me back. Right here. Right now. Okay?"

"What about the family?"

"Screw the family."

He chuckled. "I'd rather screw…""DER-EK!"

Derek ran a finger along her hairline on the side of her face.

"If I make love to you Casey, you realise there is no going back. I won't let you leave me." He closed his eyes. "I _can't_ let you leave me. It kills me every time you move out even now." He opened his eyes again. "Don't leave me."

She kissed him quickly on the lips. "Wasn't planning on it."

"I mean ever, Casey."

"So do I."

They watched each other for a moment.

Then Derek reached out for the remote and switched the television to standby. He took a final sip of his champagne and his lips were still wet when they found hers.

A Long While Later:

"You know, for a prude, Casey McDonald, you're pretty good at that." He murmured a while later as they lay in each other's arms.

"Given your expertise in the field, I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good. You should. And it's _former_ expert in the field. I'm retiring."

"Retiring?"

"Going into private practice." He snickered gently into her neck. "Do you realise we just had _sex_ under our parents' roof?" He sounded scandalised.

"Sure like that was your first time."

"Actually, that _was_ the first time I ever had sex in my parents' house. You see when I was growing up there was always this annoying _step-_sister in the next room."

"Bit of a passion killer?"

"I always thought so. I'm reconsidering that now, based on new evidence."

They laughed softly. Then he sighed and pulled her closer.

"What the hell are we going to do about all this?"

Casey shrugged.

"Mom suggested we should get married."

"What?!" He looked at her incredulously. Nora knew? Then his eyes narrowed.

"So that was what you two were muttering about on the porch. I knew it was something to do with me, you kept looking at me."

Casey smiled. "I look at you all the time, Derek. Even when I'm not talking to my Mom."

"Did she really mention us getting married?"

"Yup. And I seriously toyed with the idea of proposing to you first, but I decided we needed to jump another hoop first."

"Hmmm. Wouldn't have missed tonight for the world."

"So you enjoyed it?"

"Oh Yeah!"

Casey grinned. "Want to do it again tomorrow night?"

Derek slid a hand under the sheet. "I've got a better idea. How about we rewind and replay now?"

"Thought you'd never ask!"

"So where did Nora suddenly get this marriage idea from?" He asked when things had quietened down again.

"Ah well, yes. I asked her about that."

"And?

"You're going to be an uncle."

"Oh?"

"Lizzie's pregnant."

"Wow! Way to go Lizzie!"

Casey laughed. "Actually, it's more 'whay to go Edwin.'!"

"You are fucking kidding me!"

"Language,"

Derek rolled away from her onto his back.

"Jeez Ed. And I thought _I_ had style!"

"Anyway. Apparently, they are FORGIVEN, and we get extra kudos for being the two who didn't make them grandparents before they were in-laws. Mom basically said she thought we'd suffered unnecessarily and we should get off our butts and hook up."

Derek frowned at her.

"Okay. Maybe she didn't say 'hook up', but you get the picture."

Everything went quiet for a moment. Derek ran a finger over her bare shoulder.

"So I take it we are going to get married."

"If that's a proposal, Venturi, it sucks."

"Okay. I'll work on it." Derek paused. "I'm sorry Case."

"About what?"

"All the girls."

"Hey. You were a teen boy. I understood."

"No. I should have been more considerate."

"Derek. We "made love" every time we fought. And you only ever fought like that with me. You were completely faithful."

"You know, walking around the house with you was like living with a permanent hard-on. You killed me, Case."

She smirked a Derek smirk. "Good."

"You still do…you know. Even now."

He nuzzled her neck and his hands started to explore.

"Right now!"

"DER-EK!"

The End.


End file.
